A Powerful Love
by hsmxmelove
Summary: Gabriella and Sharpay are the best of friends and nothing can get between them…except for Mr. Troy Bolton. He’s trying to be faithful to Sharpay, but it’s hard when his heart is with Gabriella. How can he choose one of them?


There stood the happy couple of the year. The blonde beauty and the icy blue eyes stood hugging each other for the school yearbook picture. They went by the name Troy Bolton and Sharpay Evans. Troy Bolton was the most popular guy at the school who had everything he wanted; the perfect girlfriend, the good grades, the basketball team, good friends, and a perfect life. Sharpay was the most popular girl at the school who had everything; the best boyfriend, the cheerleading squad, good grades, the good life, and a rich family. She had a best friend too; she went by the name Gabriella Montez.

Meet Gabriella Montez; a beautiful petite girl, the student body president, she had good grades…the best to be exact, a volleyball team, great friends, she was a great singer and dancer, and a loving family. She didn't have a boyfriend, she had a couple flings but she was too busy for a boyfriend. She was pretty content with her life. One thing that no one knew was she was in love with her best friend's boyfriend since she first knew him. She knew how to control her feelings though, she knew her best friend was head over heels for him and she learned how to back off; it wouldn't change her feelings for Troy though.

The happy couple shared a loving kiss before breaking apart and heading different ways then each other. "Gabriella." Sharpay called for her best friend.

Gabriella turned her head away from the people she was talking to and walked over to her best friend. "Hey Sharpay, what's up?" She asked her.

The two of them began heading to homeroom for their first period. "Troy and I are going to the mall today, you want to go?" Sharpay asked as they walked into the room.

_Great, I'm gonna be another third-wheel…yet again._ Gabriella smiled softly, if she said no then Sharpay would nag her until she agreed, but she really didn't want to be a third wheel. "I'll see what I can do okay? I might have a rep council meeting after school."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, taking seat next to her. "Are you serious? Fine, but if you don't you're coming!"

Gabriella laughed, but didn't answer to that question. She took out her notebook and pencil, waiting for class to finally start.

"Where is my boyfriend?" Sharpay asked out loud to no one in particular. She tapped her fingers on the table impatiently.

"Sharpay, calm down…he'll be here." She said annoyed. Gabriella noticed that Sharpay is a bit jumpy when Troy doesn't come to class.

Troy and his long time friend Chad walked into the room with each other. Chad was holding a basketball under his arm as he was laughing with Troy.

Meet Chad Danforth; co-captain of the varsity basketball team, a best friend, a nice guy, a wonderful boyfriend, not the best grades but passes each class and he's protective of his friends and his girlfriend.

"There he is." Sharpay let out a big sigh of relief as her boyfriend walked over to sit by her.

"Hey babe." Troy said and kissed her cheek then smiled at Gabriella. "Hey Gabi."

For some reason, Troy was the only one that called her Gabi, she didn't know why. No one else called her that. "Hey Troy." Gabriella said simply as she turned her head to look away from the happy couple. "Hey Chad." She said to him.

"Sup." He said to her, doing that little nod upwards thing.

The teacher had walked in and took attendance then told the class that there were no announcements for the rest of the period and they can talk amongst each other.

"So baby, Gabriella might go to the mall with us." Sharpay said as she snuggled into his chest.

Troy wrapped his arm around her shoulder and smiled, "Cool that should be fun."

_Yeah…fun. Fun was watching them kiss and hug, being all lovey dovey. Right. That was no fun for Gabriella, just pure torture._ "Yeah…" Gabriella said to them. "It's a maybe though because I have a rep council meeting later."

"Aw, well hopefully you can come." Troy told Gabriella, smiling at her.

Her heart melted when he smiled at her, she had to look away to keep Sharpay from seeing how she felt. She reminded herself to not show any of her feelings for him. She smiled and shrugged slightly. The bell finally rung and the four of them went out towards their lockers which were next to each other thanks to Gabriella and her powers.

Gabriella was walking with Chad as the other two were lagging behind them, most likely kissing each other. Their kissing was too much PDA for the whole school to see. Gabriella sighed softly and opened her locker grabbing her books for chemistry which she had with the two lovebirds.

"So Gabriella, tell me why you're so beautiful but you don't have a boyfriend?" Chad asked her while going through his locker to grab his gym stuff that he had next period.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and closed her eyes. She hugged her books to her chest and sighed. "I don't have a boyfriend because I'm too busy for one." Gabriella informed him, "Don't even think about setting me up with one of your guy friends we both know how those turn out." Gabriella had gone on plenty blind dates set up by Chad and they have all gone wrong.

"Oh Gabriella you should try another one! It won't be as bad as you think!" Sharpay's voice came up from behind her with her fingers linked with Troy's.

"See I told you." Chad said, "So?"

"No." Gabriella told the two of them.

"Come on…just one more!" Sharpay said while he was trying to encourage her to go on another blind date.

Gabriella pretended to think about it then shook her head, "No." She said once again.

Chad sighed, "Why not?"

Sharpay looked at Chad then at Troy, "Babe don't you agree that we should set Gabriella and one of your basketball friends on a blind date?"

Gabriella looked over at Troy.

Troy got off his cell phone and then shook his head, "Actually, Gabi has never had a good one and I think she's fine the way she is."

"Thank you Troy." She said, folding her arms.

Sharpay rolled her eyes and sighed, "Just think about it okay?"

She nodded her head yes but she knew that it wasn't going to change her mind. The first bell rung and the three of them headed to class while Chad headed to gym. Gabriella was far ahead of the two in the back and walked into her classroom taking a seat by herself. She had to find a new lab partner since Sharpay was always with Troy. As the two walked by she kept her eyes on the board and was trying to not make any eye contact with either.

"Hey Gabriella." Chase Nichols said whiling sliding into the seat next to Gabriella.

Meet Chase; a basketball player, a huge flirt and a player, not so intelligent, funny, tall, cocky and confident, probably slept with half of the girls at the school, and is a friend of Troy's.

Gabriella turned her head and a big annoyance flowed through her body, "Hi Chase, what can I help you with?"

"Is anyone sitting here?"

"Well actually..." Gabriella began to say but Sharpay cut into the conversation.

"No it's open." Sharpay grinned at Gabriella, "You'll thank me later."

Gabriella gritted her teeth, "I'm gonna kill you." She said then gave Chase a fake smile then began taking notes as class began.

Troy looked over at Sharpay and sighed, "Babe that wasn't a nice thing to do…maybe Gabriella didn't want to go out with him, she's fine the way she is."

Sharpay rolled her eyes, "she's my best friend, and I know what's right for her." Sharpay said then watched Troy shrug and turn away. She smiled to herself and kissed his jaw slightly then looked back at the board and began taking her own notes.

"So Gabriella, I'm throwing this party this Friday…you should come." He turned to look at Troy and Sharpay, "And of course you two are invited." Chase said. Troy and Sharpay always were invited to most of the parties that were going on and Gabriella did too, sometimes she tagged along.

"Well I'm kind of busy…" Gabriella tried finding an excuse not to go.

Sharpay came up next to Gabriella and liked arms with her. "We'll be there." She said, smiling. "Gabriella, can I talk to you for a minute?" She said then took her friend to the corner of the room. "What the hell are you doing? He's a nice guy, give him a chance."

"First of all Shar, that's Chase…you know the biggest player after Troy…well now the biggest player since Troy is sprung over you. Second of all, I told you already I don't need a boyfriend like you to make me happy." She didn't mean to say that aloud, "I didn't mean it like that."

Sharpay was taken back at first but then shrugged it off like it was nothing. "It's fine." She spoke softly. "I'm sorry for trying to be a good friend." Sharpay walked back over to Troy.

Gabriella sighed and went back to her seat and sat down next to Chase. "I guess I'll see you this Friday." Gabriella said just to make Sharpay happy.

Sharpay looked up and grinned at Gabriella. "Yay, party time!"

Gabriella rolled her eyes and went onto the rest of class with Sharpay blabbering about the party. Then after chemistry it was time for lunch, finally. She walked out of class first and then heard someone call her name. She turned around and saw Troy.

"Wait up!" Troy told her.

She stopped walking and looked around for Sharpay but she was nowhere in sight. "What's up?" She asked him when he came near her.

"Sorry about Sharpay…" Troy began to say and walked with her towards the cafeteria.

"It's okay, I know how she is…she's my best friend and all." Gabriella shrugged, "Where is Sharpay anyways?" She asked him.

Troy chuckled, "Teacher made her stay and finish the project." He shrugged. "Mind if I join you for lunch?"

She shrugged, "Sure." The two of them went into the cafeteria and got some lunch then sat down at the table.

"I haven't had a real conversation with you since Sharpay and I started dating…" Troy said while getting his food ready. Sharpay and Troy had been dating for about five months now, but they've been talking since last year. It was complicated to understand.

She nodded slowly while opening her salad container. "Yeah I know…"

"How are you?"

"I'm doing well." She said to him.

Troy looked over at her for a moment, "That's good…" He was trying to start a conversation, "so the party tomorrow, it should be fun."

She nodded slowly, "Sure…" She was trying to make this conversation short so she wouldn't have to blush or do something she'll regret later.

"Are you okay?" Troy asked her, "You seem a bit distant."

"Yeah I'm fine." She smiled weakly. "I swear…I just have a lot of my mind but nothing to worry about."

He didn't question her anymore, "Oh okay…" He told her with his voice drifting off. The tension between them was getting awkward now until Chad and Taylor walked over.

"Hey Troy and Gabriella." Chad said taking a seat across from them. He helped Taylor with her food and let her sit next to him.

"Hey Chad, hey Tay." Gabriella said to them, smiling.

Taylor waved and sat down next to Chad. "Where's Sharpay?"

"She had to stay in class to finish her project." Troy spoke. He looked over at Gabriella then back at them and smiled. "Are you two going to Chase's party this Friday?"

Chad shrugged, "Oh tomorrow? Maybe, if my girl wants." Chad grinned at Taylor.

Taylor rolled her eyes, "We'll probably stop by."

"That'll be cool." Troy said.

Over by the door, Sharpay walked in with a mad expression on her face. She looked around for her friends and then saw them. She walked over and sat between Gabriella and Troy. "God she's so stupid! She made me extra late for lunch to finish a stupid project." Sharpay said.

Troy wrapped his arm around her and shook his head, "Calm down."

Gabriella watched his hand go around her shoulder and she looked away over at the other two couple. Great, now instead of being a third wheel she's a fifth wheel.

_There will be no Rep Council meeting after school. Thank you._

Gabriella listened to the intercom and shook her head. _Great. _

"GABRIELLA!! That means you can go to the mall with us?" Sharpay said, grinning while hugging her friend at the same time.

"I don't want to go…" Gabriella finally said, "I'm really tired…I'll go some other time, besides I have to sleep if I want to go out Friday night."

"But…but…" Sharpay began to say but was cut off by Troy.

Troy covered up Sharpay's mouth, "Yeah baby, just let her sleep or whatever so she can hang out with us on Friday."

"Fine…" Sharpay pouted and folded her arms over her chest. "You're lucky I want you at this party." She sighed then ate some of Troy's food.

Gabriella smiled thankfully at Troy then finished her food. About thirty minutes later the bell rung and everyone got up and parted their ways.

Sharpay and Troy walked together to their next class and were talking amongst each other. "I don't get why Gabriella won't go out with the guy or go to the mall with us…" Sharpay spoke.

Troy shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe she has a lot on her mind and want some time to their selves."

"How do you know more about Gabriella then I do?" Sharpay questioned him.

Troy shrugged. "It's a bit predictable babe." That was a lie. No one knew this but Troy always had feelings for Gabriella. Since the first time he laid his eyes on her. He's very good at hiding his feelings for someone but this…he had to do his best. It was his girlfriend's best friend and he knew that there would never be anything between them. He really loves her, but he knows that she doesn't see anything in him and he had to accept that. That never stopped him from believing though, and his feelings will always be there. He really did like Sharpay but he didn't love her, not quiet…he did but he wasn't in love with her. His feelings weren't as strong for her as his were for Gabi. It was wrong for him to do that to Sharpay, she was a really great girl, but he didn't know what was keeping him to her.

"Babe, what's on your mind?" Sharpay asked him. She stopped in front of him and placed her hand on his cheek and smiled sweetly. "I was talking to you then you seemed distant all of a sudden.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something and you." He told her, forcing a bigger smile.

"If you're sure…"She told him, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you after practice. I love you." Sharpay said to him.

Troy gulped and nodded then walked away. He didn't say it back. He didn't know why he didn't, it just wasn't right to him.

"Hey man, hold up." Chad ran up to him, "What's up guy?" He asked while walking with his best friend to the next class.

Troy looked over at Troy and smiled, "Nothing, just ready for practice that's all. I'm so glad we don't have practice tomorrow."

"Dude, I know." Chad spoke. "So tomorrow should be fun."

Troy nodded. "Yup. Chase always throws the best party." He opened his locker and grabbed his things.

"I know. I hope Gabriella and Chase hit it off." Chad spoke.

Troy narrowed his eyes behind the locker door and shrugged, "I don't know man he seems a bit dangerous and you know how we keep an eye on our friends."

Chad's head turned at Troy unsure why Troy would say that. "Uh, I guess so, but I don't know…we'll see."

"I gotta jet to class, I'll see you later." Troy waved to his friend then walked off to his class.

The rest of the day went by fast. At the end of the day everyone fled out of the school and the boys went to their practice for basketball.

Troy got the whole team to do some laps and lines before Coach had walked in.

"Alright everyone break until Coach gets here." Troy spoke as he opened his water bottle to get a drink of it.

Everyone sat on the bleachers and waited for coach to come in. Troy looked over at the other side of the gym and watched Sharpay cheer. She winked at him and he waved slightly and smiled back.

"You two are too damn cute." Chad said to him, taking a seat next to him.

Troy laughed, "Thanks." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright everyone listen up, practice will be cut short unless you guys would like to split the gym in half. The volleyball team needs to practice too for their championship game."

"But coach we have a playoff game ourselves too. Why can't they practice after us. We need full court."

"I know that's what I said but rules are rules as the principal say." Coach told them.

Troy who was captain spoke up, "Hey we're a team. We all are, we share, we work together, and we can do this. All for one and one for all."

"Shut up Troy." Fellow basketball player Zeke said. "Let's just share."

Troy grinned and watched the volleyball girls walk in. He glanced up and saw Gabriella walking with while talking to the coach. He looked away quickly in case Sharpay saw him staring at another girl.

Sharpay ran over to Gabriella and looked at her, "What are you guys doing in here?" Sharpay asked her in a questioning voice.

"We have to practice too you know." Gabriella set her bag down and grabbed a volleyball.

"Okay whatever…" She smiled at Gabriella. "Call me later?"

Gabriella nodded and looked over at the basketball players seeing Troy. She glanced away and began practicing.

"HEAD!"

Troy ducked his head and saw a volleyball roll by him.

Gabriella ran over to get it, smiling at Troy. "Hey Troy." She said when grabbing her volleyball.

"Hey Gabi." Troy smiled, "Be careful next time you might actually hit me in the head this time."

"Oh what? Like this?" She threw the volleyball gently at his head and grinned, "Oops, accident." She giggled innocently.

Troy laughed, "Ha Ha, you think you're funny now huh." He smirked; he grabbed the volleyball from her and threw it at her gently, "Woops."

Gabriella was going to throw it at him again but coach blew the whistle. "TROY GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!"

She laughed, "Bye wildcat." She waved to him and ran back over to her team and began scrimmaging.

Troy smiled but saw Sharpay looking over at his direction. He waved at her and then began playing scrimmage with his team.

Sharpay stopped the team for a quick break and looked at Troy and smiled. She liked how her best friend and boyfriend were getting along. This is what she likes to see more often.

After all three practices, Gabriella headed into the locker room with Sharpay. "Do you need a ride home?"

Sharpay shook her head, "Nah, I think I'm gonna go home with Troy…remember me and him are going to the mall that you are suppose to go to with." Sharpay said while changing out of her clothes.

"Oh okay, well me and Tay are gonna go back to my house for a little bit. She's gonna help me on some stuff." Gabriella said. "Have fun at the mall though."

Sharpay grabbed her cheer bag and nodded, "Call me." She said then walked out of the door.

Taylor walked over to Gabriella and sighed, "Sometimes it sucks when your best friend has a boyfriend because she dedicates so much time to him huh?"

She nodded. "Tell me about it…see but you, you make time for me." Gabriella smiled. She hugged her and grinned.

"Well duh!" Taylor said.

The two of them headed out to Gabriella's car and then back to her house.

"What do you think of Sharpay and Troy's relationship?" Gabriella asked her out of the blue.

"Huh? Oh well they're cute…too much public display of affection if you know what I mean. Why do you ask?" Taylor asked her.

She shrugged, "No reason, just wondering."

"Oh okay."

The two of them began to work on some stuff before Taylor had to head out. Gabriella waved her when walking her out of the door and waved behind her to Chad. She closed the door and walked back into her room and sat on her bed hugging her pillow. "Crap I have to call Sharpay." When reaching for her phone it rang first. "Sharpay I'm so sorry I forgot to call you…oh Troy? Hi. I thought it was Sharpay. What's up?" Gabriella got off her bed and walked to the balcony of her room. She could see Troy's house from here.

_I don't know why I'm calling you but I am…just to talk._

"Oh why not call Sharpay?"

_That's the thing…I didn't want to._

Gabriella bit her lip, "Are you two okay?"

_Yeah… I have to tell you something. It's about us..._

"Troy I have to go." She hung up the phone on him and sighed._ My best friend's boyfriend…remember that._

**How my story works is every chapter goes from one to the other. Like one chapter will be Gabriella's POV and the next will be Troy's POV. Don't worry I'll tell who's POV it is at the beginning. There will be some chapter where it'll be both of them in the same scene. This chapter is the both of them since it's the first chapter. This story may be predictable to some but let me warn you there can be a twist. **


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